Beijing, 12 Dec (Xinhua) -- December 12 marks the seventh anniversary of the south-to-north water diversion project. The reporter learned from China South-to-North Water Diversion Group Co., Ltd. that in the past 7 years since the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was fully connected to the water, nearly 50 billion cubic meters of water has been transferred to the north, benefiting 140 million people, and the economic development pattern of more than 40 large and medium-sized cities has been optimized due to water transfer.
The first phase of the East and Central Lines of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was fully opened on December 12, 2014. The first phase of the eastern line project starts from the Jiangdu Water Conservancy Hub in Yangzhou City, and uses the world's largest pumping station group to "lift" the water of the Yangtze River to flow north into Shandong; the first phase of the central line project diverts water from the first gate of the Taocha Canal of the Danjiangkou Reservoir into the canal, and the world's largest aqueduct group "escorts" the south water for thousands of miles, moisturizing The Yuji Tianjin-Beijing.
A complete view of the Taierzhuang Pump Station on the East Line of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping
Shahe Aqueduct on the central line of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping
Up to now, the first phase of the east and central lines of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has transferred about 49.4 billion cubic meters of water. Among them, the eastern line transferred 5.288 billion cubic meters of water to Shandong, and the central line transferred more than 44.1 billion cubic meters to Henan, Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing.
In terms of ecological water replenishment, the water storage of lakes in the water-receiving areas along the eastern line of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is stable, and the ecological environment continues to improve; the ecological water replenishment of more than 50 rivers in the north of the central line is more than 7 billion cubic meters, and the ecological environment has been significantly improved, while the shallow groundwater level in North China has been stopped and rebounded.
The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Water Resources said that in the past 7 years, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has changed the pattern of water supply in the northern region, and at the same time promoted the recovery of the ecological environment of rivers and lakes in the water-affected areas, and played a huge economic, social and ecological benefit.
In terms of water quality, at present, the water quality of the Eastern Line Water Transmission Trunk Line has all reached the standard and has been continuously and stably maintained above The surface water quality is above Class III.; the water quality of the Danjiangkou Reservoir and the Central Line Trunk Line is stable above The surface water quality is above Class II.
Wang Hao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a hydrologist and water resources scientist, said that the results achieved by the South-to-North Water Diversion Project since the comprehensive opening of water mainly lies in the transformation of water conservation and economic development mode, the continuous improvement of the regional water ecological environment with environmental protection and pollution control, the guarantee of water supply safety in the water-receiving areas with accurate water transfer, and the overall allocation of south water to exert the ecological benefits of the project.
The central line of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project carries out ecological water replenishment to the Tuotuo River. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping
Wannian Gate Pumping Station on the Eastern Line of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping
The east and central lines of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project are an important part of the "four horizontal and three vertical" national backbone water network. According to the "Master Plan for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project", relying on the abundant water sources of the Yangtze River, the eastern, central and western lines of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project constitute the backbone of the national water network with "four horizontal and three vertical" as the main body through the connection with the four major rivers of the Yangtze River, the HuaiHe River, the Yellow River and the Haihe River.
The outline of the "14th Five-Year Plan" clearly proposes to promote the construction of follow-up projects on the east and central lines of the south-to-north water diversion project, and deepen the comparison and demonstration of the project plans for the western line of the south-to-north water diversion project. At present, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is promoting the planning and construction of follow-up projects on the eastern and central lines, and at the same time carrying out preliminary work such as the selection and demonstration of the planning schemes of the western route.